This invention relates to a tape dispenser and relates particularly to a dispenser for carpet seaming tape used in the formation of seams between opposed edges of carpet pieces to be joined.
Carpet seams are commonly formed using a carpet seaming tape which is caused to adhere to the opposed edges of the carpet pieces to be joined. Several different types of carpet seaming tape are used, depending on the method adopted for causing the tape to adhere to the backing of the carpet pieces. One form of tape comprises a backing material, reinforcing material and a heat softenable adhesive, the adhesive being softened, or melted, by a heated iron passed along the top of the tape whereafter the edge portions of the carpet pieces to be joined are pressed onto the melted adhesive which is allowed to cure or harden by cooling.
In another form of tape, at least one electrically conducting heating element is incorporated in the tape and the adhesive is softened by electrically heating the heating element, such as is described in Australian Pat. No. 529,440.
It has been common practice up until now to locate carpet seaming tape beneath the edge portions of the carpet pieces to be joined by lifting those edge portions and physically placing the tape in position. The tape is often provided with a centre guideline to assist in locating the tape centrally beneath the seam to be formed. However, it is often difficult to accurately locate the tape in position, and the proper location and positioning of the tape can be time consuming.
It is therefore desirable to provide apparatus which will assist in locating a carpet seaming tape beneath the edge portions of the carpet pieces to be joined.
It is also desirable to provide tape dispensing apparatus which is of relatively simple construction and which can dispense tape from a roll thereof to the proper location beneath the edge portions of the carpet pieces.